A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seed planting and, in particular, to seed metering for agricultural planting for a variety of different types of seeds and conditions.
This invention allows a user to dispense agricultural seed and the like uniformly and singularly, with greater accuracy, at a reduced cost, with less maintenance, and less damage to the seed.
B. Problems in the Art
Devices and methods for planting seeds are well known. Conventional inventions provide a variety of approaches for planting that depend upon, but are not limited to, the type, size, and shape of seeds, ground characteristics, row width, and plant spacing.
Dispensing seed accurately in a uniform singular nondestructive manner is one beneficial effect provided by planting devices. To achieve this benefit, many conventional planters include metering devices which are also well known. Some planters, because of the sheer size of their metering device are inflexible and cumbersome to use. Other metering devices relying on compressed air sources and vacuums are complex and require substantial maintenance, plus are expensive to produce. Still other metering devices, some relying on a belt conveyor means which either jams or fails to protect seeds, do not sufficiently dispense seeds uniformly at an acceptable level of nondestructability.
These problems have a practical effect on farmers. Inaccurate seed disbursement leads to the use of more seeds and a loss of plant population. Damage to seeds also leads to reduced plant population. Complex structures lead to increased maintenance for the farmer and more materials and assembly time for the manufacturer. Either through increased equipment costs or inferior results after planting, the farmer is affected.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a device which improves upon the problems in the art which is accurate, inexpensive to produce, effective, reliable, compact, and does not have a tendency to damage seed during distribution. While metering devices presently exist for traditional planters, deficiencies still exist.
Therefore, a principal objective of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device which improves upon or solves the problems and deficiencies existing in the art.
A further object of this invention is to provide a seed metering device wherein seed is dispersed in a singulated and metered manner at a uniform chosen rate with minimum damage to the seeds.
Another object of this invention is to provide a seed metering device which evenly spaces agricultural seed within a seed trench or furrow.
Another object of the invention is to provide a seed metering device which minimizes carryover or missing seeds in the seed dispersing process.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device which is applicable to a wide variety of seeds.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device which is relatively simple in structure while maintaining high accuracy.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device which easily adjusts to different types of seeds and a different speed or rate of planting.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device which is economical with respect to the type and cost of materials required by the power source which drives the meter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device which is durable and easy to manufacture and maintain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a seed metering device of a minimal number of parts.
These and other features, objectives, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.